April 15, 2019
Waikato Tainui sets terms for Mokopuna Ora relationship
Waikato Tainui hopes a new agreement with Oranga Tamariki will allow it to address the needs of its young people in state care.
Development manager Marae Tukere says the iwi has been frustrated about the way it has been in project mode over the past four years as it developed its Mokopuna Ora programme, and the new compact will allow it to have a more direct relationship with the ministry as it works on a framework for supporting tamariki in care.
She says Mokopuna Ora has been successful for the number of children its iwi support advisors and whakapapa caregivers have kept from going into state care – 235 mokopuna from 85 sibling groups in the last six months alone.
"We really want our babies, if they are in care, to be supported and eventually to be back with their whānau or if they go into long term placement, we want to make sure the people we recruit, our tribal members that we ask to go into this space, have the right support and unfortunately we can't say that 100 percent of the time," Ms Tukere says.
Copyright © 2019, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com